The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is scheduled to kick off on March 28, as confirmed by Star Sports. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to unveil the schedule in two parts, with the first half’s dates likely to be disclosed soon. Teams are gearing up with practice sessions and camps, while some franchises have unveiled their new jerseys.
Due to uncertainties regarding the home venues for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), and potential election-related conflicts in certain cities, the BCCI had to delay the schedule announcement. The final decision on game venues will be influenced by the election dates in various Indian states to avoid clashes between matches and the electoral process.
State assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry are slated between March and May, leading to the delay in finalizing the complete 84-match schedule by the BCCI. RCB, the defending champions, will commence their campaign at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28, awaiting the release of the full schedule to know their opponent.
In the previous season, RCB ended their 18-year trophy drought by clinching their first IPL title in 2025, triumphing over Punjab Kings by six runs in the final. Notably, Krunal Pandya was awarded the Player of the Match for his stellar all-round performance, as RCB posted 190/9 while PBKS managed 184/7.
Sai Sudharsan from the Gujarat Titans secured the Orange Cap with 759 runs, while Prasidh Krishna claimed the Purple Cap with 25 wickets. Suryakumar Yadav was recognized as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his consistent displays throughout the season. The emergence of young talents like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who at just 14 became the youngest IPL debutant and scored a record-breaking century, also marked the season.
